It All Comes Down to This - EWS Action from Finale Ligure, Italy

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Even though this is the 5th year that the Enduro World Series has descended upon Finale Ligure, Italy, there are brand new trails and zones that will be raced. The riders had to earn their practice turns with some big climbs and long stages. This weekend, the 2017 Enduro World Series Champion will be crowned and the title is up for grabs between Sam Hill and Adrien Dailly. The long, two-day race is ready to punish the riders for one last time this year. Dig in!

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It All Comes Down to This - EWS Action from Finale Ligure, Italy
By sspomer
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Greg Callaghan drops into the 8-km-long stage one which riders are partially shuttled up to on the start of day one. Comments range from "best trail ever" to "impossible to race." We shall see how the action and drama unfolds. Winning this stage will probably be the key to the whole race. Chris Ball in audio. -Sven Martin
Jerome blending into the trails on stage two. Tons of awesome turns like this here with some exposure thrown in every now and then. -Sven Martin
Sam Hill out on the longest stage we have ever seen here in Finale both in length and vertical drop. Can he pull another big win margin on stage one like he did in Whistler? -Sven Martin
Sam Hill a little too wide-open on the throttle today on stage seven. photo by Kike Abelleira
Adrien Dailly looks stoked to be riding trails so much like his home town of Nice, just around the corner and across the border. He could win the overall here if he stays on point. -Sven Martin
Jerome Clementz changing it up with kits once again and looking fast this week. -Sven Martin
Isabeau Courdourier sitting in joint 2nd in the overall wants to end the year on the second step alone. She wont risk it too much going for the win but will have to do all she can to stay ahead of Katy Winton. @maddogboris
Greg Minnaar figuring it out on stage four this morning. -Sven Martin
Iago Garay turn down for what? -Sven Martin
Remi Thirion stoked to be back on the bike and racing, even if it is just on the "little" bike. -Sven Martin
McKay Vezina threading the needle on some ancient trade roots. @maddogboris
Sven Martin media squidding. With heavy camera bags you try save weight where you can, no gloves, no knee pads. Sven doesn't even increase his spring rate either because extra air weighs too much. @maddogboris
Richie Rude wants to the end the year with a win. You can see and feel it. @maddogboris
Italy is full of surprises as you find out arriving early for Finale. -Sven Martin
Now while this was a week ago, it sums up the type of weather the EWS has had this year. Here's hoping it stays dry for the final round. -Sven Martin
#bikehistory -Sven Martin
Why do we love coming to Finale (and Italy)? You purchase a drink and the food is free. Cocktail hour for the squids. -Sven Martin
Josh Bryceland sucking in some oxygen into the afterburners on stage seven. -Sven Martin
Boris finds himself between a rock and a hard place. -Sven Martin
Stage three's final section has a tricky surprise for the riders. #doyouevennoseturnbro -Sven Martin
Specialized on the summit of stage one with your new DH Women's World Champ, Mirander Miller in attendance. -Sven Martin
Retiring. Well, sort of. No more full-time EWS racing for Jerome next year but he will still pick and choose the events he wishes to race. The legend continues. -Sven Martin
Damien Oton gapping into some more rocks. No smooth bits here on stage four. -Sven Martin
Luca Shaw has a laugh riding behind Sir Steve Peat. Rumor is the slowest Syndicate rider will wear a dress on Sunday. -Sven Martin
If you listened to my podcast you will know how I feel about incorrect visor angles. -Sven Martin
Marco Osbourne getting creative out there on stage five today. -Sven Martin
Innes Thoma sprints up the steps climb on stage five. -Sven Martin
Mark Scott had his best result here at Finale last year. We will see if he can smash another podium to back up his Whistler one. -Sven Martin
Farina missed out on Bronze at World Champs, so I bet she is hungry for some redemption here. -Sven Martin
So many cool zones this race traverses through. -Sven Martin
Laying it over above Varigotti. -Sven Martin
Sam Shaw from New Zealand will dangle his leg wherever he chooses since he has no derailleur. Zerode Kiwi pride. -Sven Martin
Casey Brown getting Scandil out in the loose, dry conditions. -Sven Martin
Someone here is tempting fate. Media squids yin and yang! Top of stage one. -Sven Martin
U21 rider, Julian Hauer loves to SHRED. Who can blame him? -Sven Martin
Team mates comparing trail notes? -Sven Martin
Apocalypse now. Get ready for some full-on racing. -Sven Martin
Greg Callaghan in a happy place. Expect him to go well out here this weekend. He has to to defend his third place from a charging Jerome Clementz right behind him. -Sven Martin
If found, please return to Greg Minnaar. Learning from past mistakes after one-too-many post-race celebration drinks. -Sven Martin
Ludo May railing some very deep ruts on stage two. -Sven Martin
Robin Wallner has become a podium threat of late. It's not easy, but he is right there. -Sven Martin
Sideways Sam Hill is a fast Sam Hill. He doesn't often let it loose in practice but he has been this week. -Sven Martin
Caro Gehrig after it. When the stages are tough and physical, the Swiss twins persevere. -Sven Martin
finalepracticeintro

Sven Martin and @maddogboris follow the pain train through the superb singletrack of Finale Ligure.

Related:
UCI Enduro World Cup (EDR)
Finale Ligure, Italy
Sam Hill
19 comments

View replies to: It All Comes Down to This - EWS Action from Finale Ligure, Italy

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MatadorCE
7 years ago
LOL Did Vital really post of a pic of two dudes looking at each other's weiners?
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bizutch
7 years ago
I'm not cool with the pic of Bryceland Spomer. Never thought you'd post that up. Can we ditch that?
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bizutch
7 years ago
If you want ding ding in your face, you can Google it. I came here for bike content, not guy porn.
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TimBud
7 years ago
I suggest you're being a bit over sensitive here. This is not porn, its just RATboy living upto his name.
Far worse was done and produced in mtb media during the nineties
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bizutch
7 years ago
I suggest guys looking at each other's peckers is full frontal genital nudity & I'm not good with it. You can go to the gym shower and catch a peek if it's cool for you. Didn't ask you what I should be comfortable with.
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TimBud
7 years ago
I didn't tell you what you should be comfortable with. Nor did I tell you if I go into the gym shower to look at guys... that's just your hangup because you assumed i was gay for calling you sensitive about seeing a few pixels of male genitalia.
I'd be willing to bet you would not have protested if there was a sneaky boob in there.
Basically calm down and don't be so close minded and easily offended.
I highly doubt anyone here has got off on that pic, which was only ever intended as a bit of light humour.

Or here's a thought- you could have just politely mentioned it to the guys here in private rather than publicly creating a scene
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TimBud
7 years ago
Hahaha, it's you who's struggling with Bryceland's weiner matey

Anyway, we probably need to stop this now otherwise they're going to ban us to pinkbike
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Sven Martin
7 years ago
Sorry. But it's the internet and there's a lot more of worse out there. But fair point that you don't need to see it here so apologies. We do tend to push the boundaries on vital coverage and get all forms of intimate content/interviews acess with the pro riders this is just part of that I guess and I'm proud of it. Try blank it out next time or get a smaller screen!
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bizutch
7 years ago
So if some photog snaps a pic of Anka's crotch trail side taking a whiz and posts it, you're good with that? I always thought we'd at least stay the way of the old forum "unwritten" rule of "NSFW" tag.
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Sven Martin
7 years ago
Well if they asked permission and she was cool with it then yes. Thats what really matters. I obviously ran it past the two of them first and they were fine with it. Dirt posted a double page pic of mine of Peat taking shit at Ft william at the upstairs lift station before one of his race winning runs. Its sometimes all relevant and part of the story. Josh has his penis out so much it is def part of the story. I hope you dont follow him on instgram or watch any of his Insta Stories. Oh and back to Anka, there are published shots of her taking a pee bare bum and all at a long ago Cape Epic stage race she did so i guess its all good.
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veefour
7 years ago
Thanks for all the amazing coverage you guys provide, you should indeed be proud. Good luck pleasing all the people all the time though ;-)
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TimBud
7 years ago
Keep it up Sven. I've loved the coverage all season and I'm not going to dwell on Rat's tail or beg to see it again... nor am I going to ask to see pics of Anka as compensation. WTactualF
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zuman
7 years ago
After a weekend break from the internet, it's nice to come back to Vitals features, I'm gonna miss this with the season brake in races, maybe EWS can put on a minor league for Asia and africa,

Also can anyone tell me what brand of Fanny pack is Sam using. I need that one, so when anyone makes fun of me for using one, I'll just have to tell them that Sam uses it.